MEMORY VERSE
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
Sanctification and holiness are interchangeable terms. If something is sanctified, that means it is holy. Holiness should be the goal and desire of every believer.
Here we see that sanctification is described as abstaining from sexual immorality and avoiding lust. This means sanctification is linked to self-control, especially in the area of lust.
“That you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor…”
Having control over your body and mind so that you are not following the lust of the flesh is what Paul emphasized when speaking about sanctification.
Those who give in to passion and lust are described as “those who do not know God.”
Self-discipline is one of the major keys to living a holy life that pleases God.
